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[Display omitted] • Green energy, human capital, and load capacity factor nexus is analyzed. • Human capital and green energy stimulate the load capacity factor. • Load capacity curve is valid in the context of ASEAN. • Economic globalization and population density reduce the load capacity factor. • Policies are directed to achieve SDGs 13 and 7. Climate control is one of the important targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which along with other SDGs plays an imperative role in environmental sustainability strategies. Recently, studies on the driving forces of climate change and environmental quality focus on using environmental indicators like CO 2 and ecological footprint (EF). Evidently, CO 2 emissions have been criticized on the ground that they cannot indicate environmental deterioration to a large extent. EF also focuses only on the consumption of resources and overlooks biocapacity (supply side). The adoption of green energy, which is the fundamental agenda of SDG 7, is the most practical solution toward energy transition and controlling fossil fuel consumption. Also, human-induced environmental challenges require considering factors like education and awareness to cultivate a green society. Against this background, this study employs the load capacity factor (LCF), which considers both supply and demand sides to gauge the environmental quality, and inspects the human capital (HUC), green energy (GEN), and environmental quality nexus using the data from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from 1986 to 2018 in the context of the load capacity curve (LCC) hypothesis. Results of the cross-sectionally augmented ARDL, robust to heterogeneity, fractional integration, endogeneity, and cross-sectional dependence (CSD), established that the load capacity curve holds in the context of ASEAN. Thus, achieving a higher income level will support ASEAN to expand LCF and increase environmental quality. HUC is found to expand LCF and promote environmental quality. Similarly, green energy is found to stimulate LCF. However, population density and economic globalization expand environmental deterioration. The paper is concluded by providing detailed policies to enhance environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Households are considered ideal settings for studying the transmission dynamics of an infectious disease. A prospective study was conducted, based on the World Health Organization FFX protocol from October 2020 to January,2021. Household contacts of laboratory-confirmed index cases were followed up for their symptomatic history, nasal swabs for RT-PCR,and blood samples for anti-SARS CoV-2 antibodies were collected at enrollment and days 7, 14 and 28. We estimated secondary attack rate (SAR), effective household case cluster size and determinants of secondary infection among susceptible household contacts using multivariable logistic regression. We enrolled 77 index cases and their 543 contacts. Out of these, 252 contacts were susceptible at the time of enrollment. There were 77 household clusters, out of which, transmission took place in 20 (25.9%) giving rise to 34 cases. The acquired secondary attack rate (SAR) was 14.0% (95% CI 9.0–18.0). The effective household case cluster size was 0.46 (95%CI 0.33,0.56). Reported symptoms of nausea and vomiting (aOR, 7.9; 95% CI, 1.4–45.5) and fatigue (aOR, 9.3; 95% CI, 3.8–22.7) were associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission. We observed a low SARS-CoV-2 secondary attack rate in the backdrop of high seroprevalence and asymptomatic transmission among households in Karachi, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Investigated the impact of climate-tech and energy transition on CO 2 emissions. • Role of environmental regulations is also considered. • Climate-tech and energy transition improves the environmental quality. • Environmental regulations are negatively associated with CO 2 emissions. • Policies are proposed to promote sustainable development in EU countries. The transition from conventional energy to clean energy is the ultimate strategy to reduce global CO 2 emissions. In this regard, climate technologies (climate-tech) can pave the way toward achieving the capabilities required to promote alternative energy and energy saving. In addition, environmental regulations can support technological upgrading, energy transition, and emissions reduction to promote sustainable development. With this in view, this study investigates the impact of climate technologies (climate-tech) and energy transitions on CO 2 emissions in the European Union (EU) member countries. Further, we examine the role of environmental regulation in the relationship between climate-tech, energy transition, and CO 2 emissions. The empirical analysis is conducted based on international panel data for 26 EU countries ranging from 1994 to 2019, and the Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCE-MG) method is employed to estimate the coefficients of the variables. The outcomes of the analysis indicate that both climate-tech and energy transitions mitigate environmental degradation by reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, environmental regulations are found to be an effective monitoring and controlling tool that can significantly reduce CO 2 emissions. Moreover, economic growth and urbanization as control variables contribute to increasing CO 2 emissions, thus negatively affecting environmental sustainability. The causal analysis demonstrates that decision-making trends related to climate-tech, energy transition, and environmental regulations influence CO 2 emissions. Conversely, strategies for coping with CO 2 emissions and climate change will affect energy transitions and environmental regulations. In light of these analytical findings, this paper proposes that EU countries should vigorously develop climate-related green technologies and actively promote the energy transition process along with the implementation of environmental regulations for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Determinants of environmental innovations are explored. • Quantile via Movements methodology is employed for 29 OECD countries. • Increasing environmental taxation & carbon pricing boost environmental innovation. • Financial development and regional authority increase environmental innovation. • Delegating authority to regions improves environmental innovation. Environmental innovation is an integral part of sustainable development goal (SDG) 9. It also provides the foundation for green energy production, and thus, indirectly supports the accomplishment of SDG 7. Notably, the energy transition from fossil fuel to renewables is critical for achieving sustainable development and a cleaner environment. Therefore, this study explores the major driving forces of environmental innovation in 29 OECD countries from 1993 to 2019 by incorporating environmental taxation, carbon pricing policy, budget for renewable energy development and demonstration, regional authority, financial development, and globalization. The recently proposed Quantile via Movements methodology is employed to address the spiral dependence of explanatory variables and obtain results at different quantiles. The findings of Quantile via movements reveal that enhancing environmental taxation and strengthening carbon pricing policies encourage environmental innovation. Moreover, these countries should decentralize policymaking and delegate authority to regions. Alongside this, policymaking for encouraging the private sector budgets for renewable energy development and demonstration is necessary. The stringent policy regulations at the regional level can enhance the innovation of domestic industries concerning the development, adoption, and commercial competitiveness of environment-friendly technologies. Furthermore, the financial sector's development enhances environmental innovation, while globalization needs to be properly regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the problem of distributed event-triggered tracking control in mobile sensor networks (MSNs) with a jointly connected topology (JCT). Two schemes are proposed for linear and Lipschitz nonlinear MSNs to estimate and track a mobile target. The proposed schemes are established using an event-triggered method to avoid continuous exchange of information between sensor nodes. In comparison with the other research under event-triggered communication strategies where states of the target are available, this paper considers that the states of the target are not available and two event-triggered algorithms are established for sensor nodes to estimate and follow the states of the continuous-time targets that can be seen in various real-world applications. Also, the proposed schemes are designed for the JCT with disconnected graphs which means the communication topology of the MSN is not required to be connected for all time instants. By employing the Cauchy convergence criterion and a common Lyapunov function, sufficient conditions are also established to ensure event-based tracking control subject to JCT. The effectiveness of the proposed work is verified by presenting simulation examples. • Two new event-triggered tracking control (ETC) schemes for mobile sensor networks. • The ETC is obtained without requiring continuous communication among sensor nodes. • The proposed schemes can be applied to networks with jointly connected topology. • The stability of the schemes is also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Assessed effects of the digital economy and financial expansion on CO 2 emissions. • Investigated the moderating effects of digitalization through economic growth. • Digital economy boosts CO 2 with an increasing trend. • Digital economy reduces pollution generated by economic growth. • Financial expansion curbs environmental pollution. The top twenty carbon-emitting nations contribute around 80% to global CO 2 emissions. The transformation of business operations, products, and services through establishing a digital economy (DGE) might help these nations to accomplish Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and carbon neutrality. However, digitalization poses certain direct and indirect effects on the environment, and also emissions and digitalization levels vary across nations. Further, the decoupling of economic growth and emissions makes it very challenging to reduce emissions without decreasing economic growth. Against this background, this research assesses the impacts of DGE and financial expansion (FE) on emissions in the top twenty emitters by considering the direct effect of DGE as well as its indirect effects through economic growth. The newly proposed method of moment quantile regressions (MM-QR) is adopted to unveil the associations between variables by accounting for distributional and heterogeneous variations in variables from 2003 to 2019. The novel findings demonstrate that DGE significantly boosts emissions. However, the indirect effects of DGE on emissions through economic growth reduce emissions and thereby, stimulate environmental quality. Interestingly, both direct and indirect effects of DGE are noticeable only from quantiles 6 to 9 and these impacts exhibit an increasing trend. FE decreases CO 2 and uplifts environmental quality in all quantiles without much variation. Economic growth (GR) augments CO 2 ; however, the magnitude of its effects reduces from lower to upper quantiles. Population density (PDN) alleviates environmental deterioration and its effects intensify from lower to upper quantiles. Afterward, the Driscoll-Kraay (DK) regression test confirmed the results of the MM-QR. Based on these novel results, a policy framework is proposed to reduce electronic waste and accelerate digital penetration in different sectors of the economy to enhance resource-saving and achieve carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The impact of energy productivity and economic growth on the environment is explored. • Westerlund cointegration, AMG, CCEMG, and DH causality tests are employed. • Energy productivity causes and improves environmental quality in South European countries. • Globalization and economic growth cause environmental sustainability. In the wake of global warming, the world is in an ecological state of disarray. Consequently, governments across the globe are committing to achieving low temperatures with a target of 1.5 °C, of which South European countries play a key role. This study aims to examine the effects of energy productivity (EP), economic growth (GDP), and globalization (GLO) on CO 2 emissions of Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Malta (Southern European countries). The study covers the time from 1990 to 2018. Unlike earlier studies, the current analysis considers EP a significant factor in determining CO 2 emissions in Southern European countries. Southern European countries primarily represent a group of emerging economies, but it is relatively ignored in empirical environment literature. This study is the first to reveal a newly second-generation connection among EP, GDP, GLO, and CO 2 emissions in the Southern European countries by using the novel method of panel cointegration of Westerlund cointegration, Pedroni cointegration, augmented mean group (AMG), common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG), and followed by Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality tests. The empirical results suggest that the variables' effects are cointegrated, and EP reduces CO 2 emissions while GDP, and GLO increase CO 2 emissions in the South European countries. Furthermore, findings from the Dumitrescu Hurlin panel causality test suggest that any reductions in EP would have a positive impact on the extent of carbon emissions. On the basis of these empirical findings, this study suggests that policy administrators of the South European countries should consider the energy efficiency impact among the variables in setting their environmental, growth, and energy policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Green energy supply and environmental sustainability-related factors are analyzed. • Public R&D investments in renewable energy increase renewable energy supply. • Public R&D investments in renewable energy reduce CO2 emissions. • Technological innovation enhance renewable energy supply and curbs CO2 emissions. • Trade globalization boosts renewable energy supply and reduces CO2 emissions. Both developed and developing countries across the world are experiencing climate change-related adversities mainly due to failing to limit the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. More often than not, the surge in greenhouse gas emissions is instigated through a rise in fossil fuel consumption levels. Hence, in respect of mitigating these emissions, especially carbon dioxide, it is pivotal to raise the share of green energy in the total energy supply. Accordingly, public sector investment in the renewable energy sector is hypothesized to play a vital role in specifically enhancing the technological level required for substantially increasing green energy production and supply. Moreover, the concurrent role of technological innovation, as a whole, in boosting green energy supply and ensuring environmental sustainability cannot be overlooked. Against this backdrop, this study investigates the effect of public investments in research and development related to renewable energy and technological innovation on renewable energy supply shares and carbon dioxide emissions in the G7 countries, controlling for the level of trade globalization in these countries. The results unfolded higher public investments in renewable energy development-related projects, technological innovation, and trade globalization are critical for enhancing renewable energy supply shares and curbing carbon dioxide emissions in the long run. Therefore, considering these major analytical outcomes, some relevant policies are suggested for enabling the G7 countries to achieve some of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations that are closely related to undergoing green energy transition (SDG-7) and achieving environmental sustainability (SDG-13) through the channel of innovation (SDG-9). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tri-frequency ultrasound (TFU) at 20-40-60 kHz was used to systematically examine the effects on the multi-scale network structure of an emulsion gel containing orange essential oil prepared with glycosylated whey protein (WP). Treatment intervals of pre-and-post 10, 20, and 30 min were utilized to evaluate the influence and interactions on functional (particle size, zeta-potential), rheological (storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″), and oxidative stability (conjugated diene and peroxide value). The optimized tri-frequency pre- and post-treated sample demonstrated enhanced physical stability as compared to the un-treated sample, as evidenced by droplet size, (from 468.14 ± 0.56 to 214.21 ± 0.42 nm), ζ-Potential (mV) (from −29.67 ± 0.31 to −39.98 ± 1.42), and structural morphology. Structure analysis using FTIR that the aforementioned improvements were made possible through TFU enhanced hydrogen bonds, molecular arrangements with greater order, and improved intermolecular compatibility. XRD results showed gradual shift from 8.32° to 8.64° and from 19.2° to 19.5°, respectively. TFU post-treatment gels exhibited higher viscosity, more pronounced pseudoplastic behavior compare to pre-treatment, attributed to strong interaction forces and three-dimensional gel network. Our results provide valuable insights into the application of multi-frequency ultrasound as a promising technique for designing protein emulsion gels tailored for nutrient delivery systems. [Display omitted] • Tri-frequency ultrasound (TFU) was used to form glycosylated whey protein emulsion gels. • Emulsion gels were prepared without the addition of cross-linking or gelling agents. • TFU avoid protein self-aggregation, thereby enhance emulsion stability. • Pre-and-post treated emulsion gel had a denser and more uniform gel-like structure than un-treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Environmental impacts of green R&D expenditures analyzed. • Augmented ARDL and Fourier Toda-Yamamoto methods applied. • Green R&D expenditures leads to environmental improvements. • Financial development and population density raise the load capacity factor. • The load capacity curve hypothesis is valid. Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and nuclear energy research and development (RER, EER, and NER) budgets are immensely important to fulfill sustainable development goals 7, 9, and 13, by accelerating energy innovation, energy transition, and climate control. The literature on the drivers of the load capacity factor (LCF), a recently developed ecological quality measure, is mounting; however, the roles of energy investments in the LCF are largely unknown. Accordingly, this study assesses the impacts of RER, EER, NER, and financial globalization (FIG) on the LCF using data from 1974 to 2018 for Germany. Advanced and reliable time series tests (Augmented ARDL, DOLS, and Fourier causality) are adopted to analyze cointegration, long-run impacts, and causal connections. The outcomes unveil that both green energy and energy efficiency R&D promote the LCF by enhancing ecological quality. However, the positive impact of NER on the LCF is found to be weaker than the impacts of RER and EER. FIG curbs ecological degradation by expanding the LCF. Additionally, the U-shaped connection between economic growth (ECG) and the LCF confirms the load capacity curve. Therefore, policymakers should focus on RER and EER to preserve the environment and promote sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Examined the effect of financial development on the ecological footprint (EF). • Advanced econometric methods are employed for emerging countries. • Indirect effect of financial development on EF through human capital. • Institutional quality moderates financial development and footprint nexus. Emerging countries are heading towards economic prosperity; however, the process of development has enhanced their ecological footprint. Therefore, to safeguard the environment, it is essential to identify the factors that affect the ecological footprint (EF). In this perspective, this study explores the effect of financial development, human capital, and institutional quality on the EF in emerging countries. Furthermore, we explore the effect of financial development on EF through the channel of human capital. In addition, we investigate the role of institutional quality in the financial development-EF nexus. Using the panel data from 1984 to 2017, we employed the cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) technique to conduct the short-run and long-run empirical analysis. The empirical outcomes unveiled that financial development degrades the ecological quality by raising the EF. The findings further unfolded that human capital and institutional quality reduce the EF. Moreover, financial development fosters environmental sustainability through the channel of human capital. Additionally, institution quality reduces the negative ecological impacts of financial development. The causality analysis suggested that any policy related to financial development, human capital, and institutional quality will affect EF but not the other way round. Based on these findings, emerging economies should promote environmental sustainability by promoting human capital and effectively using financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned systems like autonomous surface vessels are being enhanced with the communication infrastructure to improve their reliability, efficiency and sustainability. Regardless of the significance advantages, their open communication network and connectivity renders these systems to a variety of cyber-attacks. This paper considers the resilient consensus problem of multi-agent systems (MASs) under an integrity attack. Unlike the existing works in the time domain, a resilient consensus controller is designed and analyzed for MASs in the frequency domain. To this end, analysis and modeling of MASs under the integrity attacks (MU-IA) are addressed in the frequency domain in which each agent is a linear continuous system with an input time delay. A resilient H ∞ controller is proposed to tackle the tampering of information due to an integrity attack. The proposed H ∞ controller is designed based on an internal stability method for performance tracking and robustness of the MU-IA. A significant strength of this scheme is that the current approach does not enforce any limit on the number of agents or neighboring agents under the integrity attacks. A quantitative tuning method is used to trade off the nominal performance and robustness of the MU-IA. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. • Resilient consensus under an integrity attack is studied in the frequency domain. • Integrity attacks are considered on nodes instead of communication link. • The internal stability method is applied to mitigate the effects of attacks. • Some sufficient criteria for gain and delay margins are derived. • An auto-tuning method is used to trade off the nominal performance and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes consensus control of multi-agent systems (MAS) with input and communication delay in the frequency domain. Each agent of MAS is a linear continuous-time system. The considered linear dynamic model of each agent involves multiple input delays. An H 2 controller is proposed for optimal performance and robustness of the MAS. The internal stability approach is employed to compute the H 2 controller and the performance index of the overall MAS. A sufficient criterion is derived for gain and delay margin to reach convergence. The simulation paradigm shows the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. • This paper studies the consensus problem in multi-agent systems with delays. • The proposed algorithms have been analyzed in the frequency domain. • The homogenous linear dynamic model of each agent involves multiple input delays. • The internal stability is used to design the proposed controller. • Sufficient criteria are obtained for gain and delay margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rind of Punica granatum is traditionally used for anthelmintic purposes. The current work describes the possible anthelmintic activity of crude methanolic extract of Punica granatum (Pg. Cr) against round worms (Ascaridia galli) and the tape worms (Raillietina spiralis). Brine shrimp cytotoxicity is also performed. Brine shrimp cytotoxic activity was tested using different concentrations (100µg/ml, 100µg/ml and 10µg/ml) of Pg.Cr. In vitro anthelmintic activity of Pg. Cr was determined against the parasites using albendazole and piperazine citrate as standard anthelmintic drugs in concentration 10 mg/ml. LC50 value for Brine shrimp cytotoxicity was 189.44±28µg/ml. In test concentration of 40mg/ml of the Pg. Cr, Raillietina spiralis was paralyzed in 23 minutes. However, for parasiticidal activity (death of the parasite), it took less time (40 minutes) as compared to standard Albendazole. Time taken for death of the parasite Raillietina spiralis, in concentration 40 mg /ml, is 40 min. While standard drugs took more time to kill the Raillietina spiralis. Pg. Cr took 19 minutes to paralyze the Ascaridia galli at concentration 40 mg/ml whereas; it took 48 minutes for to kill the parasite Ascaridia galli. The current work confirms the traditional use of rind of Punica granatum as anthelmintic against Raillietina spiralis and Ascaridia galli. Results of brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay warrant for the isolation of cytotoxic compounds. List of abbreviation: Pg. Cr = Crude methanolic extract of Punica granatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between ecological footprint and economic complexity has important policy implications for environmental sustainability. Furthermore, institutional quality can be an imperative tool to ensure environmental sustainability, and it may also moderate the nexus between economic complexity and ecological footprint. Therefore, this study investigates the linkage between economic complexity, institutional quality, disaggregated energy consumption, and economic growth on environmental degradation in emerging countries from 1984 to 2017. In addition, it also probes the moderating effect of institutional quality in the nexus between economic complexity and footprint. To do so, the study applies an advanced econometric approach, cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lags (CS-ARDL) estimator, for short-run and long-run estimation, that allows heterogeneity in the slope parameters and dependencies across countries. The analytical outcomes demonstrate that economic complexity increases environmental degradation by exacerbating ecological footprint, while a high level of economic complexity mitigates ecological footprint. The findings of the study unfold that institutional quality supports environmental sustainability by reducing the ecological footprint. The outcomes also indicated that institutional quality promotes environmental sustainability by moderating the nexus between economic complexity and ecological degradation. Moreover, renewable energy is found to decrease ecological footprint, whereas non-renewable energy use leads to intensifying the ecological footprint. It was also found that there is an inverted u-shaped association between ecological footprint and economic growth. Based on the results, the study suggests that emerging countries should accelerate economic complexity along with a stronger institutional framework to combat environmental issues without compromising sustainable economic growth. • Examined the effect of economic complexity and institutional quality on footprint. • CS-ARDL and CCEMG estimators are employed for emerging countries. • Inverted U-shaped link between economic complexity and environment is found. • Institutional quality (IQ) promotes environmental sustainability. • IQ moderates the relationship between economic complexity and footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]